Surgery: My final option. Death is better than this....

I will check-em-out ASAP. I'll try a tongue-sucker. NP. One of my Quacks gave me good sleepin mickies, and it won't bother me much. (I think) I've gotten used to the infernal CPAP mask, so there isn't much I can't deal with.

My apnea is not an annoyance; its been devastating, so I am quite motivated. (As much I can be considering how rotten this feels.) It is encouraging to read the success stories and the improvement folks have.

If the dental device works for me, I won't run off. Some sort of CPAP is likely in my future anyway it goes though because of my CSA. I could maybe take Klonopin to help with that, but a drug-free way is preferred.

I have noticed recently that when awake, I actually hold my jaw and tongue out. The MA is likely the ticket for me. As I said, my sister had one to save her teeth several years ago, and it actually was not too bad. Pain mgmt was excellent then, and the procedure has improved as well. So that makes me more hopeful.

I will definitely try the mouth alternatives.

Joe-

I can't talk about all the possible fixes, but I can tell you that you are not alone with feeling bad all day. I've been "tired" for the last 10 years (I'm 28 now). Docs call it tired, I call it overwhelmingly fatigued (sleeping 14-16 hours a day and feeling drugged the rest of the time). I also have fibromyalgia, which causes horrible pain, and depression (anyone wonder why) so the docs just chalked it up to emotional "problems" despite my insistence that there was something else wrong. I've even been prescribed narcolepsy medication!

My psychiatrist finally referred me for a sleep study and when I went to go meet with the neurologist (insurance gate keeper), to see if she thought the study was warranted, and she tried to tell me it was just depression! I then informed her that my shrink was the one who made the referral, and after a threat of a lawsuit I had the study done. Low and behold, I do have sleep apnea. I've been using the equipment for 2 months and feel a bit better, but definitely not normal (not that I remember what that is).

Just know you're not alone with the way you feel. Just keep on pushing for answers and do your own research. I know several people who have lupus and are managing it with a dietary regimin. Figure it can't hurt to try before you go under the knife.

I would definitely do whatever you've got to for life to be normal. Surgery is tough, but if it makes life better than its more than worth it.

For those that spit %'s and so forth at you, search for the facts yourself. UPPP (UP3) is successful is the patient is screened correctly and the uvula is a cause of obstruction. Find a reputable ENT and have two different docs evaluate to clear any misdiagnosis.

MMA is a big deal, but its worth it. I just had Phase 1 done a month ago, but won't have my post-op sleep study until October. I'm finally headed for MMA in December, but after I've gone through OSA hell this past 1-1/2 years: cpap twice, dental device, septoplasty & TR, and Phase 1 last month.

Good luck and PM me if your interested in surgery specifics. Also highly suggested to email billinseattle on TAS or sleepnet, or Roger through his blog: http://www.robotics.com/mma

-- Cory

It sounds like you have really looked at all the options and have decided which options you are going to accept. That said how can the people on this forum help?
Was it just a catharsis as you suggested or is there something else we can do? My only plea is that if this doesn't work quite as well as you want/hope-don't give up. Concentrate on healing and recovering from surgery. Take good care of yourself-and don't look back-you are making the best decision for youself that you can knowing what you want in life.
Don't look at numbers and statistics-they don't mean much for one individual. Make sure you have picked an excellent surgeon who isn't just doing ENT surgery-but looking at it as a way to manage your OSA.
Let us know how it is going-the good and the not so good. Your experience will be helpful to others in the same boat.

If you are having problems using the Aveo TSD as I did I have found a way to custom fit it and it works great for me. You can use Sea Bond Denurite. CVS has it. I tired everything that I could think of for 4 weeks and it still fell out.Denurite is a plastic that is normally used to hold dentures in. But you can use it to make a custom seal in the Aveo TSD. Mix the two samples with the liquid wait about 4 minutes and then wet your finger
and make a smooth even layer in the outer sheath that you tounge goes in. After 5 minutes put it on using the suction bulb as usual. leave it on for 10 minutes and let it cure. Remove the Aveo and trim the excess with a single edge razor blade. You can take the new seal out when you want to clean the Aveo. Just place it back into the sheath and push it as far as it will go. It will stay in place with your tounge is in it.It works great I do not know why anyone would still want to use a CPAP. No I am not a rep for the company. I am just like all of you.I have apnea and I will die from it if I am not complient with therapy.This is the 21st century.And the old solutions of the 1980's the era that CPAP was created are primative and out dated

Success wrote:........This is the 21st century.And the old solutions of the 1980's the era that CPAP was created are primative and out dated

This is the 21st century and that post you are replying to is almost three years old.

Recently I heard from Snork1 and he is doing well with his TAP oral appliance.